Taipei, Feb. 28 (CNA) If the Internet had existed in 1947, the 228 uprising that led to deaths of tens of thousands of Taiwanese at the hands of Chiang Kai-shek would have been recognized as today's Tunisian Jasmine Revolution, a man who lost his father in the uprising said at the opening ceremony of the National Taiwan 228 Memorial Museum Monday.
"If there had been the Internet to serve as a communication tool in 1947, the 228 Incident would have been recognized by the world as today's Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia as a movement seeking liberty and justice, " said Chien Ming-jen, president of First International Computer.
Tens of thousands of Taiwanese, many of them elite intellectuals, were killed by the Kuomintang (KMT) in a brutal suppression of anti-government uprisings that began Feb. 28, 1947 -- two years after Japanese colonial rule on the island ended. The suppression lasted for many years.
Born in March 1947, the successful businessman said he never met his father, a teacher who was arrested in 1950 and executed in 1951, and did not realize his family history until he was 32 years old.
"Many would say `Let's forget the past, ' but the stigmatization and fear that is attached to my family will take generations to erase, " he said, adding that the government should support the families of the victims and face history with honesty.
Delivering a speech after Chien had spoken, President Ma Ying-jeou pledged to continue an investigation into the truth of the incident and use the museum as a tool for all Taiwanese to learn about the country's history to make sure such a tragedy will not happen again.
"The very fact that the museum is open today symbolizes that the Republic of China government is a government of introspection and that Taiwan has already made strides in its development of freedom and democracy, " Ma said.
Premier Wu Den-yih described the incident as an "unfortunate tragedy." According to Wu, it is "inevitable" for any individual or government to make mistakes, but it is even more important to recognize the mistakes and make sure they will never happen again.
The government has held a 228 ceremony every year since 2003 as part of efforts to heal the historical wounds through legislative or concrete acts, such as making a formal apology and offering monetary compensation to the families of the victims.
As part of the activities to mark 228, local governments around Taiwan lowered the national flag to half-mast that day.
The museum, on Nanhai Road in Taipei City, is housed in a building that was constructed in 1931 during the period of Japanese colonization. It has served as school dormitory, the offices of the Taiwan Provincial Assembly and the news center of the American Institute in Taiwan.
Based on an amendment to the Act for Handling and Compensation for the 228 Incident, the government set up the National Taiwan 228 Memorial Museum in 2006 to preserve the history of the incident.
The museum, managed by the non-profit 228 Memorial Foundation, deals with matters relating to the compensation and rehabilitation of 228 Incident victims. (By Chris Wang) ENDITEM/J